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About the Iowa City Press-Citizen

The Press-Citizen is the marriage of two
newspapers — the Iowa State Press was founded in 1860 as a Democratic newspaper
and the Iowa City Citizen, a weekly Republican newspaper first published in
1891.

The two papers merged in 1920 for economic
reasons and in 1921, the paper was purchased by Merritt C. Speidel, who was
president and publisher until 1937, when he moved to California to establish
the Speidel offices.

Bill Hageboeck took charge of the daily
operations while Speidel remained president and publisher until 1942 when
Hageboeck assumed both roles. Hageboeck retired in 1961, succeeded by Jack
Liechty, a former circulation manager at the paper. In 1966, Liechty was named
secretary and general manager of the Speidel Newspapers Inc. in Reno, Nev., and
Kenneth Greene was named president and publisher.

Others who have served as president and
publisher include J.C. Hickman (1973-1987); Mary Parks Stier (1987-1991);
Dionicio (Don) Flores (1991-1993); Chuck Wanninger (1993-2000) and Mike Beck
(2000-2007). Those who served as general manger from 2008 through 2012 include
Andrea Rhoades, Susan Patterson Plank, Amy Sparby, Dan Brown and Gabe Aguirre.

Dale Larson, the current general manager,
was named in February 2013.

The original Press-Citizen building at 319
E. Washington St. was dedicated in 1937 and at the time housed one of the most
modern newspaper plants in the country. The plant moved to a new facility at
1725 N. Dodge St. on Jan. 21, 1991. The Press-Citizen returned to downtown Iowa
City at 123 N. Linn St. in March 2011.

The Press-Citizen became part of Gannett
Co. Inc. in 1977 when the Speidel Board of Directors voted to merge with
Gannett. On Sept. 15, 1997, the longtime afternoon paper became a morning
newspaper and published only six days a week. A Sunday paper, in collaboration
with The Des Moines Sunday Register, first published on Aug. 29, 1999.

The Press-Citizen currently employs about
40 people, with news and advertising staff on site in
Iowa City.